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Spotlight on Bologna
 Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2026: Publishers Defend Idea of Books as BridgesOne of the subtexts of the conversations and panel discussions at each year’s fair is how publishers can foster camaraderie among nations and serve as stewards of the future. Often, it is those representing smaller nations that feel this most urgently. more   Sketches from the FairIllustration is at the heart of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, from competitions and exhibitions to portfolio reviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most renowned picture book creators. We invited artists to share their drawings from in and around the fair, for a collective Bologna sketchbook. more In the News
 Little, Brown BFYR Raises the Curtain on Alvina Ling ImprintAfter more than 25 years at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, the last 12 of them as VP and editor-in-chief, Alvina Ling has been named VP and publisher of her own boutique imprint within the group: Alvina Ling Books. Ahead of the launch, we spoke with Ling about her new role, a change that LBYR first announced last fall as part of a broader editorial restructuring. more  Trustbridge Partners Acquires LiteratiThe Hong Kong–based equity firm, which also owns the Walker Books Group, has added the Austin-based education technology company to its portfolio. Launched in 2016, Literati initially offered children’s book subscription box service and later expanded into school book fairs. more  What’s Ahead for Paramount Global Publishing? Amy Jarashow, the newly appointed VP of global publishing at Paramount, says Paramount Global Publishing will focus on new original fiction, existing IP, and extensions into entertainment and experiences. more  New Adult Comes of AgeThe category aimed at 18- to 24-year-olds, which blew up during the pandemic thanks to BookTok, is finally being codified by the industry, as the Big Five start their own dedicated New Adult imprints. These launches bring structure to a genre that has lacked a clear consensus definition. more   Book News
 Sarah Dessen’s New Novel Marks 30 Years in YA Change of Plans—the author's first release since The Rest of the Story in 2019—coincides with the 30th anniversary of her first novel, That Summer, which debuted in 1996 and helped establish her as the queen of YA contemporary. But not unlike her newest heroine, Dessen found herself recently having to pivot. more  Just Announced: A Newly Discovered Berenstain Bears Book Random House Books for Young Readers has announced the forthcoming publication of Too Loose, Too Tight, Just Right, a never-before-seen book by the late Berenstain Bears series creators Stan and Jan Berenstain, updated by their son Mike Berenstain. The new addition to the beloved series will hit shelves October 6. more First Person
 How Verse Novels with Uncomfortable Truths Can Be the Exact Books Young Readers Need In honor of National Poetry Month, Khushboo Patel reflects on her debut middle grade novel-in-verse, All That Chandni Knows, and the ways that poems can offer an accessible entry point for much-needed discussions around tough topics and big feelings. more  Reading Roundup
 Noteworthy Picture Book and Novel Sequels: April 2026Notable series installments this month include a picture book search for the sun, the final installment of a middle grade series about an unlikely barn friendship, a YA fantasy novel about a tenuous alliance, and more. more Four Questions
 Randi SmithKentucky librarian assistant Randi Smith brings the dangers of book banning to the forefront in her YA debut novel Ada Holloway’s Had Enough. In it, high school senior Ada finds her final semester upended when the town’s mayor removes key titles from library shelves. In response, Ada launches a banned book club. In honor of National Library Week, Smith shared what her work within libraries has shown her about modern book bans. Q: What was something specific about book bans that really stood out in your research? A: What stuck with me the most is the likelihood that the people in opposition are not actually reading all of these works and understanding them, but getting a premade list off the internet. I find that astounding, and it’s still hard for me to understand just how impersonal book bans can be when the effects of it are super personal. more Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Press: Week of April 27 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book biography highlighting the life of a late activist, a middle grade novel following a tween overcoming her fear of water, a YA novel about a set of cutthroat boarding school students, and more. more In Brief
 In Brief: April 23, 2026Recently, an author showcased poetry at her event, an author launched a new picture book, an illustrator’s work got the window treatment, an author brought a picture book concept to life, former astronauts made an appearance at a book launch, and award winners were announced. more
Rights Report
 Holly West at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Adriana Mather's YA novel A Curse of Stolen Time, in which NYC is split between two magical warring kingdoms, and an ambitious apprentice and a rebellious prince find themselves at the center of the conflict. Cursed to sleep while the other is awake, they have only a handful of stolen moments at dawn and dusk to break the curse that separates them and save both their kingdoms. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for North American rights.  Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, North American rights to Gilded Wings by Emily Thiede (This Vicious Grace), a YA fantasy romance pitched as for fans of The Buccaneers, Newsies, and The Gilded Wolves, in which a young woman runs away to a reimagined New York City, only to discover danger beyond the dragons circling above as she and a handsome, streetwise newsie go undercover among the wealthy elite to expose what—or who—is conspiring to control the city. Publication is set for winter 2027; Chelsea Eberly at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the two-book deal while at Greenhouse Literary Agency.  Alvina Ling at Little, Brown/Alvina Ling Books has acquired world rights to debut author Hai Tao's Cattail. Inspired by the author's own experiences, the book follows a young woman's journey as she fights for access to an education in a remote Chinese village during the Cultural Revolution. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.  Maria Correa at Random House Studio has bought world rights to Cuckoo by Heather Brockman Lee, a picture book exploring time—and the difference between how we measure and how we experience it—narrated by a cuckoo clock bird who reminds us to slow down and remember where we are and what's most important. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Deborah Warren at East West Literary brokered the deal.  Meredith Mundy at Abrams has acquired world rights to Arlo Draws a Dinosaur by Lori Mortensen (l.), illustrated by Rob Sayegh Jr., a picture book about a boy whose decision to draw a gigantic dinosaur leads to an unexpected friendship. Publication is slated for spring 2028; the author represented herself, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.  Patricia Stockland at Kind World Publishing has bought world rights to Eyes Like My Mother's by Mila C.C. Konomos (l.) (The ABCs of AAPIs Coloring Book), illustrated by nikki often, a debut picture book inspired by the author's lived experiences as a South Korean transnational, transracial adoption survivor. Through poetry, Konomos explores the intense, complex emotions experienced by adoptees, while avoiding the savior narrative often given to children asking big questions. Publication is set for spring 2027; the author and illustrator represented themselves.  Grace Kendall at FSG has acquired, at auction, world rights to I Hear Love, a picture book by Move Books founder Eileen Whitehead Robinson (l.), illustrated by Coretta Scott King Honoree Raissa Figueroa, in which a boy recognizes and appreciates the many different ways his musical family shows their love, although largely unspoken. Publication is planned for fall 2028; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency represented the author, and Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary Agency represented the illustrator.  Rebekah Lovato Piatte at Collective Book Studio/Tiny Torch Books has bought ABCs for Bilingual Babies: Music/Musica, a board book by Tenisha Bernal that focuses on equity for bilingual babies and language learners. Publication is scheduled for May 2027; the author was unagented. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
  The Cow in the Dark at NightJess Hannigan. Quill Tree, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-06-343777-7 A spotted cow makes a carefully planned nighttime escape from its farm home, its innocence about the world and pride in its own sly plan the first of many jokes. Trailed by a black cat who seems equal parts knowing and protective, the cow, with wide-eyed naivety, encounters an array of pale-skinned “night people.” But when a green figure whisks cow and cat aboard a spaceship and the adventure leaps from shaggy dog telling to absurd interplanetary outing, even the formerly unflappable cow admits, “It’s looking like I’ve made a pretty big mistake here.” more  SalvageRenée Nault. Ten Speed, $25.99 hardcover (256p) ISBN 978-1-9848-6339-3; $19.99 paper ISBN 978-1-9848-6340-9 After rising sea levels flood coastal cities, the wealth gap between displaced climate refugees and those living inland widens, a dichotomy that Nault captures with searing clarity. Years later, Paolo, a descendant of refugees, helps his family make ends meet by diving into the underwater city and scouring the abandoned skyscrapers for items to sell. It's a discerning coming-of-age graphic novel that teems with surreal beauty and tender, honest heart. more  Kaleidoscope of Hope: How Butterfly Life Cycles Reflect Our WorldMiranda Paul, illus. by Hari and Deepti. Greenwillow, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-314410-1 Kaleidoscopes provide a textual and visual through line for this awe-inspiring scientific tribute to butterflies. Content draws on the author’s firsthand experience raising the insects to take readers through the life-cycle stages, from egg to larvae to caterpillar to chrysalis and beyond. The artwork—first sculpted, then photographed—encourages close observation. It’s a truly unforgettable look at how butterfly life cycles spiral outward. more  The Magic Library of Waterfall WayJulie Abe. Bloomsbury, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-5476-1829-3 In this cozy fantasy, social standing is determined by citizens’ ranking on a scale of Remarkableness; Extraordinarily Remarkables live in luxury, while Slightly Remarkables wear hand-me-downs. Eleven-year-old Lyra Hunt is an exceptional case: she’s the only resident classified as Unremarkable, leaving her feeling isolated and overlooked. Rejections pile up until she stumbles upon the elusive Guild of Scholars, where she discovers a wary but welcoming community of book lovers and knowledge seekers, along with a magical library. more  Today Is the DayChelsea Lin Wallace, illus. by Adam Rex. Chronicle, $18.99 (44p) ISBN 978-1-7972-1516-7 Lin Wallace and Rex flip carpe diem on its head in this lush high-concept picture book that spotlights the life of a single day. As a full-throated songbird heralds sunrise in the distance, “a Day is born.” Cataloging text next gets into the Day’s reception, requirements, and events. Meanwhile, cinematic digital illustrations with the chalky weight of pastels depict a global cast, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones, in constant motion. more |
April 23, 2026
 
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People Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing has one new hire. Joshua Bradford has joined as production assistant; he was most recently in Simon & Schuster’s associates program. Sneak Previews  Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, in our exclusive roundup. MORE In Case You Missed It Bologna 2026: Gray Skies Are Gonna Clear Up more more Cai Gao Win Hans Christian Andersen Awards more more Follow Us  Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram! < | ||
